1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to printer systems, and, more particularly, to a printer system that performs a printing operation on recording sheets of different types.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printer device for business use prints a large quantity of client data accumulated in a host computer on recording sheet. Such a printer device performs a high-speed data printing operation on jointed recording sheets. Also, depending on the types of data, the data printing operation is performed on recording sheets of different formats. In such a case, it is necessary to change recording sheets.
If the recording sheets are not change, there is inconsistency between the type of the recording sheet and the type of the data. Therefore, it is necessary to check whether or not the type of the recording sheet corresponds to the type of the data.
Conventionally, whether or not the type of the recording sheet corresponds to the type of the data is visually checked after a series of printing jobs.
However, there are several types of recording sheets used in this type of printing system, and the data printing positions are similar among those recording sheets. In such a case, since the data is printed at a correct location, whether or not the recording sheet corresponds to the data cannot be visually checked. Even if inconsistency between the recording sheet and the data can be visually checked, the printing time and sheet used so far become a waste, because the series of printing jobs have been completed.
A general object of the present invention is to provide printer systems in which the above disadvantages are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a printer system that performs an accurate data printing operation on a desired recording sheet.
The above objects of the present invention is to provide a printer system which prints data containing data identification information for identifying the type of data to be printed on a predetermined recording sheet having recording sheet identification information for identifying the type of recording sheet printed in advance thereon. This printer system comprises: an image pick-up unit that picks up an image of the recording sheet; and a processing unit that extracts images of the recording sheet identification information and the data identification information from the image of the recording sheet picked up by the image pick-up unit, compares the recording sheet identification information with the data identification information, and detects inconsistency between the type of the recording sheet and the type of the data.
With this printer system, the image of the recording sheet identification information and the data identification information are compared so as to detect inconsistency between the type of the recording sheet and the type of the data. Thus, the inconsistency detection can be accurate. When the inconsistency is detected, the printing operation is stopped so as to prevent unnecessary printing. Also, since the recording sheet identification information and the data identification information are obtained by one image obtaining process, the verification process can be quickly completed.
The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a verification device that verifies a recording sheet on which recording sheet identification information for identifying a type of sheet is recorded in advance, and data containing data identification information for identifying a type of data to be printed is also printed. This verification device comprises: an image pick-up unit that picks up an image of the recording sheet; and a processing unit that extracts images of the recording sheet identification information and the data identification information from the image of the recording sheet picked up by the image pick-up unit, and compares the recording sheet identification information with the data identification information so as to detect inconsistency between a type of the recording sheet and a type of the data.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.